LETTER: Flat rate charge keeps price down

I write in response to K. Matthews’ letter in last week’s paper (12 February) questioning why the council cannot charge a variable rate for the garden waste collection service.

We have been able to keep the cost of garden waste collections to a minimum and, for the third year running, it is still only £29 per year.

This is the lowest garden waste collection charge in the whole of West Sussex. We have been able to keep the price this low, partly because we operate an opt-in flat rate charge for the year, regardless of when you join within that year.

We understand that there are times when individual households would prefer a variable rate fee option as they believe this would be fairer for them.

However, the implementation and administration of this approach is complex and would be much more expensive to deliver across the whole district and so would inevitably lead to increased charges for all residents who opt in to the service.

ANDREW BALDWIN

(Con, Holbrook East) Cabinet Member for the Environment, Horsham District Council, North Street, Horsham